Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-11-18
yllO At BUENA VISTA
A Small Place in Size. but Great In
History.
Especial Correspondence

tSpecial correspondence
BuENA VISTA, Mexico, Oct. 17.-Buena
Vista is a small place, scarcely larger
than q good sized hacienda, but it has
proved fruitful source Of conversation
between the little woman and myself
want to take horses for the remainder Of
our trip until we reach railroads again,
where this one has 10 leave off, but she
feels sure that we would be way lGid by
Indians, scalped, tortured and massacred,
and she IL in favor of the diligence, and
always get headache when riding in
one. How it will cnl don't know yet,
but she usually has her way. We may
possibly get private conveyance,
with driver, outriGlers and ell, for they do
that sort of thing here very much. 1t ia
customary. too, and find she is begin
ming to realize that you must follow the
law here.
We made an excursion out to the battle
ground that made this sleepy little spot
celebrated, and found nothing that could
recall the bloody scenes which must have
passed here. The whole face of nature Is
as placid and smooth us if cannon balls
had not plowed up the soil. The town
(whet there is of it) is laid out regularly
with low adobe hrts, almost all of them
presenting q perfectly solid wall to the
street, many of them having no opening
whatever except doors to the rooms which
open off the little porches. The place we
are now stopping at is kept by French
man, but it Is very much worse than any
other place we have seen, with the cTccp-
ton that they cook In French fashion,
which is rather pleasant change.
Here we made u critical examination Of
the magucy plant, which is as useful as
the Arabs camel, as 1t supplies food,
drink, needles and thread and fiber for
ropes and coarse bags. 1t resembles wht t.
we call the century plant, and the little
woman got q good smell ut the flowers
and declared unheSitatinGly that she knew
it must be the same, for the flowers smelt
certainly u century old, and with O. linGer-
ing look of admiratioE for their beauty,
and look of disgust at the ancient odor,
she threw them away. The Mcxicans
make very pleasant preserve out Of the
thiclA part Of the plant, and II drink called
pulque from the stem, which they pierce
and insert u tube in. The Juice will
flow by the aid Of Il Mexican on
the other end Of the tube. Az socn
rs re has got coed moutlIful
he spits it into q bottle Ecld for the pUr-
pose, and keeps On until he has absorbed
ell the sap. This then is placed in large
tubs with more gathered in the Same wcy
and left to fermcnt, when it is Gt fer
drink. It 10 said to he pUnGent. like Gcrid
huttermilk or vinegar, but neither tho DIS
gustcd little American nor myself seemed
to banker after it. The needle and thread
Is made by taking the thorns and strip
ping them up, when strong piece of Cher
remains attached to the thorn, and it Of
fords means OF sewing oil ordinary ma
tcrial. The fiber of the plant. after the
pulp has been dried out or absorbed, is
rlcpI lilo 10 CT Il
IDLE. The whole country above q certain
belt is covered by this plaut end mesquite.
There is another plant which is very valu
able to the natives CT this country, rnd
this grows On the low plains and TIC table
lands, and is called vulgariy soap root.
The root is dubious md in layers like en-
onion. 1t Is white and about six inches
long ard has Il white Gowcr upon q long
stalk, with only ono or two spike shaped
leaves ut the bottom. This root il
gathered and used like ordinary soap,
making fine lathcr and washing clothes
beautifully white. The Mexican women
sit fiat on the ground beside their tubs to
wash their linen, and use only cold
water, never boiling it. Tie little
woman is quite adrift about this, for her
eyes prove that these women wash their
clothes rs white as the texture can DO
made, and yet she always WAS brought up
to believe that to make them white re-
CURED the regulation soaking, two
warm sudses, q boiling and then another
sudsing and rinsing and blucinG." Ard
these women have 10 washboards either,
doing all their washing between the
hands.
The little woman asked INC to insert
here that the Mexican women ere the
most industrious people she ever saw, for
al
tcrminable needle work, their washing 0
ironing or making tortillas. 1t is only
because they sit down to their work that
makes them appear idle, and she wants to
add that she thinks them very gentle and
considerable and hospit able to strangers.
While in this place l met 4 gentleman
who showed Inc some native coffee, which
was grown just over on the other side Of
the mountains, in tract OF land well
wGtSrcd and among groves of bananas.
| Tho berries were Of several sizes ana APP
pearanccs, which, he said, were all Off one
tree, or BUSH the small round onc3 from
tho tips CT the branches and the larger,
| coarscr ones from nearest the main Iody
| Of the tree He hal specimens in all
stages Of ripcness and preparation for tho
market, and asserted, doubtless with
truth, that Mexico could supply this
whole country with excellent coffee If
there was any spirit Of enterprise among
the people. They grow cotton also though
the fiber Is not SO delicate and long as our
own, and sugar cane is one Of the natural
| products of the country, though it IS
| cheaper to buy imported sugar thea to
make their own, which they have not yet
learned how TO refine.
At this juncture the little woman came
flying in, looking wonderfully pretty in
her excitement which fact | hope VIII
excuse my weakness Of will, TO say
| "Oh, Edward, do come out and hold
this beautiful little burro until l sketch
him. have him tied to n post, but every
time l 60 near he puts his ears back and
stands on his front feet and kicks the
others co fast that am afraid of them. /
can't Get within six yards Of him, and he
looks so nischicvous. The owner is fast
asleep, so I couldn't 70 and wake him,
and you know that artists all like these
| pretty little creatures, aud besides, he looks
| like cunning little mouse; and, oh,
/ come" And 80. EDWARD ElLo.
l:cEainiscence Of NIrs. Mcikleham.
One day she was asked rs to the history
! of u velvet embroidered work lag which
! LCOrr from corner Of tho al